Spotlight: The coming season in the 2nd Bundesliga is about to start. Also this year, many highly talented youngsters are fighting for the absolute breakthrough, we present you the hottest irons of the coming season.
Info: We only included U-21 players in our list. Accordingly, players who were born before January 1st, 2001 were not available for selection.
Mario Vuskovic from Hamburger SV is undoubtedly one of the greatest talents in the 2nd Bundesliga. After a loan from Hajduk Split last year, the “Red Pants” exercised the purchase option for three million euros in March. That shows how confident the club is in the player. The right-footed player is physically strong, has a good eye for build-up play and is very strong in one-on-one combat.
Since the 14th matchday of last season, his head coach Tim Walter has been relying on the central defender duo Vuskovic – Schonlau. The 20-year-old does an excellent job in the demanding build-up game and keeps getting involved in follow-up actions. His tackle rate of 66% and the fact that he only saw one yellow card in 23 games underline his qualities in 1vs.1.
After missing out on promotion last year, Vuskovic and HSV are working towards achieving their big goal in the coming season. The step into the Bundesliga should succeed, otherwise the Croatian U-national player could take the next step despite his contract until 2025. According to media reports, Wolverhampton Wanderers have already knocked on the door, but the wish of the most valuable player in the North German squad is clear: “I want to move up to the Bundesliga with Hamburger SV.”
(Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)
Sidney Raebiger (Midfield, 2005, Greuther Fürth)
One or the other didn’t look bad when Spielvereinigung Greuther Fürth announced the permanent transfer of Sidney Raebiger announced. The 17-year-old switched from RB Leipzig to the Franks and hopes for the final breakthrough in the 2nd Bundesliga. The central midfielder is the youngest debutant in Leipzig Bundesliga history, but apart from the three minutes in the league and twelve minutes in the cup, Raebiger has not received any playing time at professional level.
The youngster knew how to impress in the under-19s of the reigning DFB Cup winners. Five goals and five assists in 13 games underline his potential. Raebiger is considered perhaps the greatest German talent of his year. He has a fine right foot and is endowed with excellent vision and technical finesse.
If the Fürthers continue their playful approach of the last two years under new coach Marc Schneider, the 17-year-old should fit perfectly into the system. The supposed step backwards can be worth its weight in gold in its development.
(Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)
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Maximilian Beier (Sturm, 2003, Hannover 96)
One of Germany’s great hopes for attacking is coming up for Hannover 96 in the coming season. His home club, TSG Hoffenheim, has loaned the 19-year-old out for another season and hopes the youngster will continue to play and contribute to goals.
The 19-year-old scored three goals and six assists in his first year in the second division. In a weak Hanoverian team, he was one of the glimmers of hope on the offensive. He had to work hard for his actions, and the attacker was rarely fed. Beier is fast, technically strong and has good abilities in the finish.
The U-national player caused a sensation in the DFB Cup. First he conceded two goals to Fortuna Düsseldorf, then Borussia Mönchengladbach – also through two Beier stalls – got lost in Hanover. For TSG he even scored two goals in 136 minutes in the Europa League. The potential of the offensive player is very large if sufficiently promoted.
In view of the transfer offensive of the 96ers, coupled with new coach Stefan Leitl, who attaches great importance to cultivated football, the chances are good that Beier will make the absolute breakthrough and continue to increase his goal participation.
(Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)
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Erik Shuranov (forward, 2002, 1. FC Nürnberg)
The homegrown player from 1. FC Nürnberg was promoted to the professionals in the 2nd Bundesliga for the 2020/21 season and immediately repaid the trust with five goals and one assist in 14 games. The last season was mixed for the striker, who is already active in the U-21 national team. Although he ended the season with nine goals, his potential could have been better.
The 20-year-old is a genuine centre-forward. He works a lot with his body, holds the ball well in the top, is technically adept and is wanted in the penalty area. In the U-leagues he sometimes scored two goals per game on average, the “Glubb” can serve as a springboard for him, if promotion with this club is not even possible.
Given the transfers of Christoph Daferner (24, ST, Dynamo Dresden) and Manuel Wintzheimer (23, ST, Hamburger SV), Shuranov faces strong competition. His trainer Robert Klauß knows his qualities and usually relies on the great Nuremberg hope.
(Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)
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David Nemeth (central defender, 2001, FC St. Pauli)
1. FC St. Pauli committed for a proud 1.3 million euros David Nemeth from Mainz 05. After a successful loan spell at Sturm Graz in the 2020/21 season, the Austrian returned to the 05ers. Nemeth did not make a breakthrough under coach Bo Svensson, and the central defender only made six appearances in the last Bundesliga season.
Its great strength is the build-up game. His side shifts and long balls meet the needs of a modern centre-back. Nemeth is calm and equipped with good technique, he defends fairly and successfully. He is said to have weaknesses in terms of decision-making and positioning, which he now wants to improve in the north of the republic. In any case, the 2nd Bundesliga could be exactly the right place for this.
(Photo by Cathrin Mueller/Getty Images)
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Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer (Offensive flexible, 2001, Hamburger SV)
Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer is the next player of the Hamburger SV on the list of most interesting talents. The ambitious second division team invested 1.2 million euros in the flexible attacking player, who was recently relegated to league 3 with Dynamo Dresden. Born in Berlin, he already proved in the U-19 the qualities he has. With the help of his 18 goals in 19 appearances, Dresden turned him into a professional.
The German-Ghanaian is quick and good at dribbling. In the first half of the season he made the difference in a good Dresden team several times, in the second half of the season he fell into a hole in terms of performance – like the rest of the team. The 20-year-old was often dependent on the performance of his team, he had to be staged. Weaknesses can be identified in his decision making and goal scoring. In these situations he is often too playful and careless, but this can still change, because the talent is there.
The departure of Faride Alidou frees up space on the flanks. Königsdörffer can occupy all positions in the last third and is incredibly strong, especially in counter-attacks. In Hamburg he will play for a team that prefers a lot of possession and control of the game. If he finds the right solutions in tight spaces, the Bundesliga beckons in the long term.
(Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)
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Honorable Mentions:
- Tim Breithaupt (DM, 2002, Karlsruher SC)
- Frederik Jakel (IV, 2001, Arminia Bielefeld)
- Armindo Sieb (ST, 2003, Greuther Furth)
- Burak Ince (ZM, 2004, Arminia Bielefeld)
- Antonio Foti (ZM, 2003, Hannover 96)
- Igor Matanovic (ST, 2003, FC St. Pauli)
- Paul Nebel (RM, 2002, Karlsruher SC)
(Photo by Cathrin Mueller/Getty Images)
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